ham and such ...

[jas_rho]

I agree that there are different kinds of the rutabaga casseroles, but I have tried many many times to see if it is just an acquired taste and something I could learn to like (kinda like salmiakki was for me) but it is just something I don't like, homemade or any brand. Same thing with rosolli.

[karen]

I always buy 2 or 3 turkeys from Lidl and cook them at different times during the winter. I'm very satisfied with the flavor/price combo.

[karen]

I just returned from Lidl where I scored two 3.4kg turkeys. I'll be cooking one this weekend.

[Sara]

And of course there is nothing to stop you mixing with the food you would eat from your home country.

I always do roast potatoes, bread sauce and turkey roll (turkey breast flattened, rolled up with stuffing and wrapped in bacon!) to go with the usual Finnish suspects.

The ham is at its best fresh from the oven while still really hot I never enjoy it as much the next day. Leftovers always go to homemade pea soup, portioned up for the freezer!

[karen]

Unfortunately, my mil likes to cook the ham before we even arrive on the 23rd. I'd love to have it fresh from the oven.

[enk]

'Just think of all the things you can do with the ham leftovers though

broccoli and ham au gratin
pot pie
pea soup
chicken cordon bleu
hash
eggs benedict
sub sandwiches
ham and cheese croissants
omelettes
frittatas
scrambled eggs with ham and cheddar
ham croquettes
ham sandwiches with mustard
ham and bean soup
grilled cheese and ham sandwiches
ham salad
deviled eggs with ham
ham and cheese bisquits
red beans and rice
baked beans and ham
risotto

yum

-enk

[Pursuivant]

I've never much liked ham... theres some of the "Trad. Christmas" stuff I like, but i like to eat it occasionally off-season. Like "rosolli" though the trick is to cut the vinegar and it can be done with veggies only and then mixed up or not mixed up with herring or ham or beef or whatnot... basically its just a pickled veggies mix.

however I had a traumatic few years working in hotels and ships. well, as you know staff eats the buffet... and what is the buffet from November until January... yeah, I can skip the traditional fare *easily* for the next 80 or so Christmases no problem whatsoever...

[Kupcake]

And of course there is nothing to stop you mixing with the food you would eat from your home country.

Unless your home country is in the southern hemisphere and your usual christmas meal consists of prawns, lobsters, oysters and the like

Decided to buy a smallish ham and have a practise run this weekend. It's defrosting today, roast it tomorrow and do leftover stuff with the leftovers.

I've never much liked ham...

Not much of a ham eater myself, but my family loves it.

Got the goose yesterday too. They have them in the freezer right near the meat section in Tapiola Stockmans. it ended up being 57 euros.

I just returned from Lidl where I scored two 3.4kg turkeys. I'll be cooking one this weekend.

Thanks for this Karen. Think i'll get myself one and at least give it a go this year. Do you cook it breast side down or up?

[karen]

Trying something new this year and I cooked it breast down for the first two hours. I flipped it over to brown the breast during the last hour. I'll be sure to report back how it turns out.

[Pursuivant]

"boiling ham" sounds as weird to me as "deepfrying turkey" but then again theres random weirdness in all cooking and the end result is usually edible. just wonder where do the limeys get such humongous cauldrons as I remember hams so large they never fit the oven and dad needed to go dig in for a hacksaw...

BTW for anyone making Finnish traditional and always goofing up the "soured potato casserole" - the trick is to use frozen (spoilt) potatoes.... the sugar breaks up and gets the fermentation going.

[karen]

Okay, I roasted my turkey breastside-down for two hours then flipped it over to brown the breast. I don't usually eat breast meat, but I tried it and couldn't tell any difference. Dh said he couldn't tell any difference either. Either I always cook an edible breast, or it's always dry and we don't know any better. One thing I didn't notice is that the thighs were pretty dry. Since that's the part I eat, I didn't really care for that difference. I'll probably cook it breastside-up in the future and continue to cover the breast for part of the cooking.

[Kupcake]

Thanks for that Karen - i'm going to get one of those frozen ones from Lidl and give it a try too. Gosh, haven't cooked this much meat since ... well, i've never cooked this much meat ever i think!

Have you ever cooked the turkey in a bag Karen? And what preparations do you have to do with the turkey once it's thawed before you cook it? Are there bits you need to pull out of the cavity??

[Pursuivant]

they usually leave the gizzard in and the liver and such... so better check so there isn't surprises

[karen]

Yep, they have the liver, neck, etc inside. Once I can pull those out, I also reach in for any ice chunks that might be left.

[Mook]

they usually leave the gizzard in and the liver and such... so better check so there isn't surprises

jep, in a plastic bag.

We had a lidl turkey last night...just finished making curry with the leftovers.